The Chicago Cubs may have found their catcher of the future, and it’s a name that you would probably not expect. It’s not Moisés Ballesteros, who is one of the team’s top prospects who’s still cooking in the minors. It’s not Willson Contreras, who was a hero in the city of Chicago before his departure to the St. Louis Cardinals.

NO! It’s 10-year vet, and home town kid Carson Kelly, who has been on an ABSOLUTE TEAR to start his tenure with the Northsiders.

⚾ Carson Kelly crushes another one for the Chicago Cubs! ⚾

That’s his 6th home run of the season and it’s a game-changer! Kelly is heating up—Cubs fans, get ready for more fireworks!

Check out the swing: ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/sOWlmqQ1ap

— MiloX Sports MLB (@MiloXSportsMLB) April 18, 2025

Kelly, for those of you who are unaware, has basically been a career journeyman every since he was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals back in 2012. In his 10 years in the Majors, Kelly has been able to put up a stat-line that consists of;

567 G, .228 BA, 60 HRs, 225 RBIs, 5.4 WAR

He has been tossed between multiple teams; which include the likes of the aforementioned Cardinals, the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Detroit Tigers, and the Texas Rangers. But now, he has found a home with Craig Counsell’s merry band of bat swingers……and he is CERTAINLY making the most of it.

In only 11 games with the 2016 World Series champions, Carson Kelly (as of writing this) is LEADING the team in batting average (.419), is TIED for the team lead for home runs (6), and is TIED for second in RBIs at 18. He has been an absolute PHENOM at the plate, creating opportunities for offense at every turn. But is he the future of this franchise?

Sadly…..not a chance. This is one of the most situational hitters that Craig Counsell has on this roster, and it’s sad to say that since he’s a home-grown kid. Kelly has made a career out of facing right-handed pitchers over lefties, including this year (25 ABs vs. 6 ABs). He has been splitting time with Miguel Amaya for a reason……and it’s not because they’re trying to “work him in” after an injury, or something like that.

Simply put; Craig Counsell is doing a great job putting Kelly into spots where he can succeed. He’s making sure that his back-up catcher has the best opportunities, and the former Cardinal is making the most of them. But to say that he’s the “future” of the franchise? That would be crazy, to say the least. He would need to take the starting job from Amaya, and keep his BA over .250 for me to believe that.

Does that make him a bad guy, though? Absolutely not! I would take a decent 1-2 like Amaya and Kelly any day of the week. But as we move into the ‘Dog Days of Summer,’ we need to keep in mind that these numbers are going to decline. We need to remember that this will not last, ESPECIALLY with Moises Ballestros waiting in the wings.

In the end, what I’m really trying to say is that I’ve been IN LOVE with the ‘Carson Kelly Experience.’ But as a Cubs fans who’s LONGED for the days of 2016…..I’m just trying to temper my expectations.

But as always…..what do I know? I’m just a guy from the Midwest, with a beer and a laptop, trying to make sense of this world.